Rare Case of Hip Pain Due to Iliopsoas Tendon Rupture; A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Abstract

Objective: Hip pain is common in patients of advanced age and has a very broad differential. Of the potential aetiologies, iliopsoas tendon ruptures are rare. Consequently, there is a paucity of literature on iliopsoas rupture in the older adult population, and its rarity can lead to a delay in its diagnosis. When iliopsoas ruptures do occur, they are typically secondary to trauma; however, they can occur spontaneously. Iliopsoas injuries can be disabling, but they respond well to conservative management. We report here a case of a 70-year-old woman who presented to an unaffiliated emergency department with left anterior hip pain 2 weeks after a fall from standing height.Results: Initial X-ray and computed tomography were negative for fracture, and the patient was discharged with home health physical therapy. Her symptoms persisted. At a subsequent emergency department visit several weeks later, magnetic resonance imaging revealed a complete left iliopsoas tendon rupture with retraction. She was treated conservatively and made a complete recovery after physical therapy.Discussion: This paper reviews the literature related to iliopsoas injuries, highlights the importance of iliopsoas tendon injuries among the differential for acute hip pain, and provides management recommendations for this rare, but probably underdiagnosed, injury. This treatable condition warrants further attention, as delay in diagnosis can prolong morbidity. LAY ABSTRACTHip pain is common in the elderly population and has many causes. Of the potential sources of hip pain, a complete tear of the iliopsoas, or hip flexor, tendon is rare. When iliopsoas tears do occur, it is typically after trauma, such as a fall. However, tears can happen spontaneously. Diagnosis is best made using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), but can be made with ultrasound. These injuries can be disabling, but respond well to conservative management consisting of rest and pain management principles, followed by physical therapy active rehabilitation. This paper reviews the literature on iliopsoas tears, provides management recommendations for this rare, but probably underdiagnosed, injury, and reports a case of a 70-year-old woman who experienced a complete iliopsoas tear after a fall from standing height. The diagnosis was missed on initial evaluation, and was subsequently made using MRI. The patient made a full recovery after conservative management.